United are back at Plainmoor for the second of back to back home games tomorrow, as they face Chelmsford City.
Gary Johnson’s side will be looking to get back to back home wins tomorrow, however they will face a tough test in the form of Chelmsford City, who sit one place and one point behind them.
Who’s the boss?
Robbie Simpson has been at the helm of Chelmsford since January 2020, originally on a interim basis before being given the job permanently in March 2020. Simpson was a forward who came through the youth ranks at Norwich City, but it was at Cambridge City that he first got his career started, making over 100 appearances and scoring over 30 goals in a four year period. A spell at city rivals Cambridge United followed where he had an average of a goal every other game in his one year spell at the Abbey Stadium.
Two years at Coventry City followed, before a move to then League One Huddersfield Town came, though his first season with the Terriers was injury hit, leading to loan moves to Brentford & Oldham Athletic, with the Oldham loan spell leading to a permanent move to the Latics. Leyton Orient, a return to Cambridge United, Exeter City and MK Dons all came before Simpson signed for Chelmsford City in 2019.
Player to watch
Mohamed Bettamer is currently on loan at Chelmsford from Hayes & Yeading United, and has scored one goal in his seven appearances so far this season. Bettamer had his first spell at Hayes & Yeading United back in 2011, but it wasn’t until his two year stay at Staines Town between 2016-2018 that the striker came into his own, scoring 39 goals in 82 league games.
A spell at Braintree and Barnet, as well as loan moves to both Welling and Hemel Hempstead Town came before a three year stay at Aldershot Town between 2019 and 2022. Upon his release from the EBB Stadium the 30 year old joined Hayes & Yeading for a second spell before spending the majority of last season at Concord Rangers, though he was unable to help them from slipping to relegation from the National League South.
Bettamer is also a Libyan International having represented his country at Under 18, 21 and 23 level, as well as playing two games for the first team and scoring one goal in a 3-2 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in 2020.
How have they been doing?
Following on from their 5th place finish and Play-Off Semi-Final defeat to St Albans City last season, Chelmsford started the new campaign with a 1-0 home win over Farnborough, which was then followed up by a 1-1 home draw to Hampton & Richmond. A first away win came next as the Clarets ran out 2-1 winners over Welling United, before another home stalemate this time the outcome being a 1-1 draw against Havant & Waterlooville.
Two consecutive wins, 3-0 away at Weymouth and 1-0 at home to Eastbourne Borough, meant that Chelmsford remained unbeaten during August, and they started September with a 1-1 draw last Saturday at Yeovil, where after scoring an 87th minute opener and sensing another victory, they were pegged back by an injury time equaliser by the Glovers. Monday night saw the Clarets slip to their first defeat of the season, going down 2-1 at home to Hemel Hempstead Town, which means coming into this match Chelmsford sit in 5th place on 15 points after their first seven games.
Played for both
Rhys Murphy came through the youth ranks at Wimbledon and Arsenal, and during his early career had loan spells at Brentford and Preston before a move to Telstar in 2012. Dagenham & Redbridge and Oldhame Athletic came next for Murphy, and while at Boundary Park the striker found himself loaned to Crawley Town and AFC Wimbledon. Upon leaving the Latics, Murphy joined Forest Green Rovers, and it was while at the Gluscester club that along with loan spells at York City and another at Crawley, the striker arrived at Plainmoor in September 2017 in a three month loan deal that saw him play for the Gulls eight times, scoring one goal.
A short spell at Gillingham preceded a move to Chelmsford City where he scored 25 league goals for the Clarets in just 38 appearances, leading to his first spell at Yeovil Town in 2019 for a two year spell at Huish Park, where in 59 league games Murphy scored 29 goals. Southend United was were the 32 year old spent the next two years, before his return to the Glovers for their National League South 2023/24 campaign.
Previous Encounter
Torquay United 3-1 Chelmsford City | National League South | Saturday 2nd April 2019
United made it five wins in a row back in April 2019 to secure another huge three points against a committed Chelmsford City side at Plainmoor. After Connor Lemonheigh-Evans put United ahead, they were pegged back following a goal from Jamar Reynolds. After the break, goals from Jamie Reid and Jake Andrews sealed the win for United that strengthened their position at the top of the National League South table.
Tickets for tomorrow’s match are available HERE, whilst full live commentary will be available via TUFC Radio HERE.